Improvement in knitting-machines



NA PETERS, PHOTo-LITHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGYON, u4 c.

t. UNrTE-D SnmTEsy PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NESl/IITH, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNlTTlNG-MACHINES.

Speoication forming part of YLetters Patent No. l5,435, dated July 29,1856.

To all whom/.it man concern:

.Be it known. that I, JOHN NESMITH, of Lowell, in the county ofMiddlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in vented a novel anduseful Improvement in Knitting- Machines, consisting in adapting themfor narrowing and widening knit goods to any desired pattern; and Ihereby declare that the followingspecification,in connection with theaccompanying drawings and references thereon, constitute a lucid, clear,and exact description of the construction and use of the same. A

In referring to said drawings, Figure 1 denotes a plan or top view; Fig.2, a front elei vation of the same; Fig. a back elevation of it; Fig. 4,an end elevation; Fig. 5, an opposite end view. Fig. denotes a sectionon line A B, Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 7 is a View of the front slide N2disconnected from the machine. Fig. 8 is a side view of the back slideN6 with a portion of the plate() disconnected from the machine. Fig. 9is a plan of the same. Fig. 10 is a view of one of the guards d and apart of the plate (l, to which itis connected. Fig. 1l is a View of oneof the needles. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the cams Ks and K7, governorsG2 and G, dogs H2 and H7. with portions of the levers H3 and H6. Fig. 14is a vertical section on line C D, Figs. l2 and 13. Fig. 15 is aperspective view of the plate C with the needles a therein. Fig. 16 is atransverse and vertical section on line E F, Fig. 15.

The nature of' myinvention consists in narrowing the knitting work by.lowering one or more of the needles at each passageof the yarn-carrier,so that the yarn will continue to pass through only the remaining loopsofthe raised needles until the narrowest part of the fabric is made orarrived at, and then widening this fabric as the knitting progresses byraising the needles one at a time to an equal level with the otherneedles, so that the yarn may pass throughtheir loops in common withthose not lowered, and thus widen the fabric as much as the distancefrom needle to needle when each of them is raised on .the knitting-line,so that the yarn will pass through their loops. The desired number ofneedles are lowered to allow the remaining ones only to knit, whichconstitutes the narrowing by means of slides having a lower slot tocarry v5,.and 6,) fixed on the main shaft D. in the same figures.) i

the needles when lowered and an upper slot or plane to carry the needleswhen raised, these slots being continued or connected together by anangular slot down which the needles are caused to travel to lower themand up which they are. caused to travel to raise them by moving alongthe slides as much and as'often as desired bya registering apparatus ormeasuring apparatus, which is so connected to these slides and driven bythe turning of the main shaft of the machine, as to move the slides ineither direction, which cause the needles to be-lowered for narrowingand raised for widening by their traveling up or down the inclined partof the slots in the slides.

To enable persons skilled in the artto which my invention appertains toconstruct and carry out the same, I will describe it as follows:

I construct an iron frame, (seen at A,Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,) whichis held together by the girts B and the top plate C. To this frame AA, Isuspend a main shaft D, so as to revolve fr'eely in good substantialbearings. I also fit a drive-shaft (seen at E, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4) tothe stand F, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6, which isprojected from the frame A.

0n the outer end ofthe drive-shaft E, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, I fita`tight pulley V5 and a loose pulley V for applying a driving-belt forpropelling the machine, as will be readily understood. On the inner endof this shaft l fit and fasten the gear G, Figs. 2 and 6, which gearsinto and drives another gear of twice its diameter, (seen at H, Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, (Seen The needle-plate C is grooved transversely, as seen ata3, Figs. 8, 9, and 10, to receive the knitting-needles d, as seen atFigs. 1, 8, and 10, so that they will slide freely back and forth. Theseneedles are made with a swinging finger a4, Fig. 1l, which operates inthe hook end, and their back ends are bent at a right angle upward, asseen at t', Fig. 1, and at Fig. 11.

Above the plate C, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, I place the bar O, Figs. l, 2,3,4,and 5,'so fitted as to slide freely through portions of the frame A,(designated as A, Figs. l, 3, 4, and 5,) to which is fastened the standK, which is connected to the crank L, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4,`and 5,

by the connecting-rod J (seen at the same gures) and the stands or studsN and M, by which the bar O is operated or slid back and forth by therevolving' ot' the crank, L. The crank-shaft Z, Figs. 1 and 6, turns inthe stand Y, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which is secured to the plateC, and on the lower end of this shaft I fit a bevel-gear, (seen at I,Figs.`1, 2,3, and 6,) which gears into and is driven by a bevel-pinionone-half of its size. (Seen at Z2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6.) This gear Z2is fixed to the main shaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and by thismeans motion is communicated to the bar O, as will be readily seen.

To the bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, I secure two cams, (seen at Q,Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) which are grooved in their under sides vat an angleof about forty-tive degrees with the face and from opposite points ofthe bar O, so as to take the needles and then drive them back and forth,as seen in Fig. 1, a portion of one of the cams being broken out to showthe needle-grooves. These grooves receive the upward projection t of theheel of the needle, Fig. 11 at the back end of the needles a, Figs. 1and 11, by means of which projections and the cams Q the needles areslid transversely back and forth Lo knit and narrow or widen the desiredgoods, said cams being carried by the movement of the bar O.

To the front of the bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, I connect t'woyarn-carriers, (seen at P, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5,) which carry the yarn(which is seen in red lines) from the spoolA4, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and6, first th rough the holef, Figs. 2 and 3, in the shears S2, Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and then through theloops or hooks of the needles,when they are moved forward, so that the stitch may be formed, when theneedles are drawn back by the closing down of the swinging finger a4,Fig. 11. The bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, is grooved at its back andlower corner, as seen at t, Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The npturned portion e ofthe needles a, Fig. 11, remain in this groove t, Figs. 3, 4, and 5,excepting when the cams Q, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, move them forward to formthe stitch. The partsheretofore described are well known and dornot formpart of my invention.A The following description relates to myimprovements, as will be hereinafter seen. -On the top of the plate C,Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, I fasten a secondary plate (seen at R, Figs. 1,2,4, and 5) to prevent the needles from iiying out of their workingposition, and for an upper guide for the slides N2 and N6, Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, and 5, to move in, while the plate C forms the lower guide for theslides N2 and N to move in, and at the back edge ot' the plate C, Figs.1, 3, 4, and 5, I secure a guard-plate (seen at K2, Fig. 3) to preventthe needles lfrom flying back beyond their working position.

I place a guard-plate (seen at d, Figs. 1, 2, 9, and 10) in each of thetwo sections of the plate C at the central portion of the needles tokeep a number of them constantly raised,

while the others are raised or lowered -for widening or narrowing, thusincreasing the extent that maybe widened or narrowed from one-half totwo-thirds the width of the web, when rigid slides are used, as seen at.N2 and N, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. I then construct two sliding plates,(seen at N2 and N6, Figs. 7 and 8,) having slots and inclined planesformed through them,to carry or raise and lower the needles, as may bedesired, which slides N2 and N6 are fltted so as to slide in a grooveformed in'the plate R, Figs. 1,2, 4, and 5, and plate C, Figs. 1, 3,4,5, and 9. The slides N2 and N6,Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are fastened atone end to the arms M2 and M, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, these armsbeing secured to the ends of the sliding rods Y2 and Y6 at Figs. 1, 2,3,4, 5, and 6, which are moved to throw the desired number of needles intoor out of the work by the racks U3 and U, cut on the rods Y2 and Y, andthe pinion T2, (shown in section at Fig. 6,) which gears into both theseracks to operate both of them at the same time, and which is secured tothe shaft E2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The shaft 1112 is suspended so as to turn freely in the stands J2 andV3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Near the back end of it are placed andfastened two ratchet-gears I2 and I, their teeth standing in oppositedirections, so as to be operated either way by the dogs H2 and H7, Figs.1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as seen in the drawings-that is, so that one dog mayturn the pinion T3, Fig. 6, in one direction and the other dog may turnit in an opposite direction,

which moves the slides N2 and NG so as to lower the needles outof thework or so as to elevate them into work, as may be desired for narrowingor widening.

It will be seen that to narrow the needles must be lowered out of thework, so that the yarn in the carrier will not pass through the loops,or the needles already out must be elevated, so that the carrier P, Figs1, 2, 4, and 5, may conduct the yarn through the loops, and therebywiden the work as much as may be desired, and this is eected by movingthe slides N2 and N6 so that the inclined planes (seen at p, Fig. '7,and p2, Fig. S) will elevate the needles to widen, or so that these sameinclined planes will move in opposite directions to" lower the needlesout of the work to narrow it by the inclined planes p and p2, which willcome in contact by their movement with the needles and elevate ordepress them, which will be readily understood.

On the main shaft. D, Figs. 1,2, 3,4, 5, and

6, I place a cam, (seen at B2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5,

N, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4,7and 5, to elevate or depress the needles, as may bedesired. The leversl H3and H6 are moved by the cam B2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,and 6. Fig. 12 shows howthe dog H7 is raised so as not to operate itsratchet I2 to move the slides N2 and N6 to widen the stocking and thedog H2 lowered to operate its ratchet 13 bythe governor G2 drop q pinginto the recess r of the cam K7 to so operate the slides N2 and N3 as tonarrow the stocking by lowering a needle at each vibra- `tion of the barO. Fig. 13.is a view of the same parts as shown in Fig. l2, with theposi-` tion reversed, so that the dog H7 isoperating its ratchet l2 towiden and the dog H2 raised above its ratchet I3, so as not to operateit toE narrow the stocking. Fig. 15is a perspective view of the plate Cwith the needles a therein and the slides N2 and N3, showing how theirinclined planesp operate to elevate or lower the needles to narrow o rwiden the goods. The position of both lowered and raised needles isfurther shown at Fig. 16.

, rlhe operation of the dogs H2and [-17 and they movement of partsconnected to them are regulated by two governors, (seen at G2 and G6.Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6,) which move in the' stands F2 and L3, Figs. 1,2, and 3, and governing-cams K3 and K6, which have recesses formed intheir peripheries (seen at r and r2) for letting down the governors G2and G6 and Adogs H2 and H7, so that one of these dogs will operate itsratchetgear 12 in the right direction to widen or narrow, while theother dog' H7 is kept above its ratchet-gear by the governor G3,operating by one of the governingcams K3 or K until the cams K3 and K3move or turn sufficiently to change the position of the dogs H2 andH7-z'. e., to throw outthe one heretofore operating its ratchet andlowering' t'he other dog H2, so as to operate its ratchet, as will bereadily seen and understood.

The governing-cams K3 and K7i are secured y to the quill B", Fig. 6,onwhich'the gear C3is also secured. All these three turn on the stud K2,Figs. 1, 3, and 6, which is made fast to the back gil-t B, Figs. 1, 2,3, and 6. The gear C3, Figs. 2, 4, and ,5, receives motion from the wormA2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, which is fixed to and turns with the mainshaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and this motion is communicated tothe governingcams K3 and K3, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, by their beingconnected to the quill B4, Fig. 6, of the gear C3, Figs. 2,4, and 5.

It will be seen that the needles Ct are let down out ol' the work one ata time on each extreme as fast as the narrowing is desired to beeffected until the narrowest part of the goods is arrived at, when thecam K3, Figs. 3,

4, 5, and 6, which governs the narrowing-dog,

raises it, so as to disconnect. it from its ratchet 12, Figs. 1, 2, 3,5, and 6, and at the required time, so that the widening and governingcams K3 and K, Figs. 4,5, and 6, turn in the right position to allow thewidening-dog tinues to move backward and forward, and isl by thismovement freed ordischarged from the thread which was in it before itwas taken out of the work.

The gear C3, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, quill B4, Fig. 6, cams K3 and K3, Figs.3, 4, 5, and 6, levers H3 and H3, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, dogs H2 and H7,and governors G2 and G6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, together, with the tworatchets I2 and I, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, their shaft E2, Figs. 1, 2.3, 4, 5, and 6, the pinion T3, Fig. 6, racks U3 and U3, Figs. 2 and 6,bars Y2 and YG, Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, arms M2 and M6, Figs. 1, 2, 3,4, 5, and 6, and slides N2K and N6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, also theyarn-severing shears S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which are operatedby the pin H2l in the gear C3, Fig. 2, through the agency of theshipper'A3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, thereby stopping the machine at'the right time or when it is in the right position to receive the newwork, constitute the registering or measuring apparatus for widening ornarrowing, as will readily be seen.

The enumeration of parts of the 'registering apparatus is refer-red toso that it may be known of what they consist, and the operation of thisregistering ormeasuring apparatus is as follows: The worm A2, which isfastened to and turns with the main shaft D,

is fitted to and turns the gear C3 and quill B4,

4the cam K7, (see Fig. 13,) when the movement of this dog H2 willoperate or turn the ratchet I3, which is secured tothe shaft E2, so asto turn it and its pinion T3, Fig. 6, and this pinion meshes into andmoves the racks Y2 and Y, which in turn move the slides N2 and Ni by andtoward each other to drop the needles by causing them to slide down theinclined planes p, Figs. 7, 8, and 15, and thus narrow the work by theracks Y2 and Y6 being connected to the said slides by the arms M2 andM3. lTo widen the goods, theslides N2 and N6 are moved apart and by eachother by the raising of the dog H2 by .the governor G2 being' raised tothe largest surface of the cam K7 by the continued movement of this camand the dropping of the other vibrating dog H7 into its ratchetlf",which is also secured to the shaft E2 and turns it in an oppositedirection. The change'from widening to narrowing can commence as soon asdesired after the in the periphery of the cams K3 and K7. Th eserecesses r and r2 are formed, as seen in the drawings, to commence thewidening as soon as the narrowing is completed, and both dogs 1I2 and H7are kept raised on the largest periphery of the cams K3 and K7 whenneither the widening nor narrowing is being done, meaning that the dogsH2 and H7 are kept raised when straight or parallel work is being knitby the machine.

Various modilications of this apparatus may be made with a good result;but I believe the above arrangement, or substantially the same, to bet-he best for the required purpose.

I construct a plate (seen at S, Figs. 1, 2, 4,

and 5) with its teeth c for preventing the yarn from getting entangledwith the fronts of the needles notin use and secure it to the top of aswinging frame V, Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and t5, which is held in its workingposition by the catch T, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, and by lowering the catchthe plate S, Figs, 1, 2, 4, and 5, can be swung forward out of .theoperators way when a new piece of unfinished goods is 1o be hooked ontothe needles for finishing by knitting, wid ening, and narrowing, as infooting stockings the legs ot' which have been made on another machine.Back of the plate S, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, is placed the bar NV, Figs.1, 4, and 5, which is provided with a number of separating-fins (seen ate, Figs. 1, 4, and 5) for forming the stitch, these fins e and bar WVbeing moved up and down by the rods X, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and lever D2,Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,

which are operated by the cams C2, Figs. 1, 3, 4,

5, and on the main shaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

and 6, the centers of operation of these levers1 D2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,5, and (i, being seen. at D3, Figs. 4 and 5. The spiral springs (seen atB3, Figs. 2, 3, and (i) serve to press down the levers D2 into therecess in the cams, Figs. 1, 4, 5, and G, letter C2, as seen in dottedlines at Figs-4 and 5.

I construct two rods O2, Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, the i back surfaces ofwhich rest against the plate (j, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10, and nearthe topof them are inclined planes formed, which are titted to the barXV, Fig. 1, so that as these inclined planes are lowered the bar \V,Fig. l, is moved forward into its working position, in order that it maybe moved upward and downward by the levers D2, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and (i,operated by the cams C2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,1

and so as to help form the stitch.

It will be seen that the front edges of the tins e, Figs. 1, 4, and 5,are so near the points of the needles that they would be very much inthe way of putting or hooking Yon the knit goods to be narrowed orwidened. To obviate this difficulty I connect each of the lower ends ot'the rods O2, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, to the arms C4, Fig. 2, which aresecured to the lower part of the swinging frame or stand V,

Figs. land 2, and consequently as these stands are swung forward theyraise the rods O2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, by their connection withthem, thereby raising the inclinedplanes, so as to allow the spiralspring T2, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, to draw back the bar W', Figs. 1, 4,and 5, and its iins e, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, so that the operator canconveniently attach or hook on the next piece of goods to benarrowed,knit, and widened, as desired.

It will be seen that my within-described machine is a double one-thatis, there are two sets of needles-which may knit, narrow, or widen twostockings or other pieces of goods at the same time. I construct abeltshipper (seen at J3, Figs. 3, 4, and 6) which is operated by thehandle U, Figs. 1,2, 3,4, 5,ar.d 6, bar T23 Figs. 1, 4, and 6, and itspin D3, Figs. 2, 3, and -that is, the handle U, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and6, can be moved to the left, carrying the bar V2, Figs. 1, 4, and 6,withit until the catch S3, Figs. G, catches under the spring Q3, Figs. 2 and6, and there remains until the wheel C2 turns over to bring the pin 13,Fig. 2, in contact with the spring Q3, Figs. 2 and G, on its under side,by which it is raised so as to allow the spiral spring DJt Fig. (5, todraw back the shipper J3, Figs. 2,4, and G, by the handle U, Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, 5, and t', and bar 72, Figs. 1, 4, and 6, to throw the belt on theloose pulley V3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, which stops the machine. Thusthe work being coinpleted and the thread cut by the self-operatingshears S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and (i, the work will be thrown off themachine by its con tinued operation, and when the needles are broughtinto the desired position the belt is thrown oft and the machine stoppedready and in the rightposition to receive the new piece ot` work withoutany attention of the operator who is tending the machine. This stoppingof the machine at the right time is effected by the stud or pin I3, Fig.2, which is fixed to the gear C3, Fig. 2, as will be readily seen.- Inthe meantime, or when the machine is in operation, the belt can beshipped by hand independent oft the spring D4, Fig. t, and bar 72, Fig.6, if desired.

At S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, can be seen the two pairs of self-actingshears. or cutters for severing the yarns from the spools A", Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, 5, and t5, when the work is completed. The lower ends of theseshears are connected to the rods R2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which'are fastened to the shear-shipper A3, Figs. 1,

2, 3, 4, 5, and C. Then they are to be set to sever the yarn, the handleQ2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, 'is moved along to the right untilthepin orcatch N3, Fig. (i, passes under the springcatch R3, Fig. tf, which holdsit until the pin H2, Fig. 2, in the wheel C3, Fig. 2, cornes in contactwith the under side ot' thespring R3, Figs. 2 and (5, and raises it toallow the spiral spring O3, Fig. (i, instantly to draw the shearshipperA3, Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, back or to the left, which at once seversthe yarns, after which the machine runs until it is in readiness or in'the right position to receive the neXt piece of goods to be made, Whenthe belt-shipper is thrown orf, which stops the machine, as hereinbeforeshown.

The shears or yarn-cutters may be placed immediately above the carriersP, Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, if desired.

The proper materials for all parts of my machine will readily suggestthemselves to any competent mechanic.

I claiml. The lowering or raising the ends of the needles which receivethe threads, so that the thread will not enterthe hooks of the needleswhen out of their working-line as the carrier passes them, while theother ends of the needles remain connected with the mechanicalarrangement used for pushing them for- Ward and drawing them back toform the stitch on their working-lines, essentially in the manner andfor the purposes fully set forth.

2. The slides N2 or their mechanical equivalents for taking the needlesout of the work for narrowing the fabric and bringing them back into theWork for widening the fabric, essentially as set forth.

3. The metallic rests or guards d or their equivalents for constantlykeeping a number ot' the needles in their working-line, essentially inthe manner as fully set forth and described. u

4. The connection of a registering or measuring apparatus construct-edas within described, or otherwise formed with the moving parts of mymachine for the purpose of bringing into use and taking out of use therequlsite needles at the proper time for shaping the fabric and forsevering the thread when the Work is done and stopping the machine whenrequired, essentially in the manner as fully set forth.

5. rPhe arrangement and movement of the fined bar W or its mechanicalequivalent to aid in forming the stitch, also its movement backward touncover the ends of the needles for putting on the newfabric,vessentially in the manner,l and for the purposes fully setforth;a

JOHN NESMITH.

